Drake wants 34 positions eliminated in EBR schools

BATON ROUGE - Acting Superintendent for East Baton Rouge Schools, Warren Drake, is proposing a $1 million in cuts to the school district.

The cuts would in part come from reducing and eliminating a number of administrative jobs, 34 positions in all.

Drake would also hire nine new administrators as part of a proposed restructuring plan, a number of top administration positions would be consolidated. He's already appointed a number of principals and assistant principals throughout the district.

The biggest area of reduction will be the youth advocates program. It was created by outgoing Superintendent Bernard Taylor to help students with discipline and attendance problems. It costs $600,000 a year. Drake says the program is unnecessary.

"We have other positions that are doing the same job," said Drake, "we have over a dozen truancy officers that will be doing that."

Drake will bring up the proposed changes to Thursday's school board meeting.